When you should see a psychotherapist:

The Austrian Federal Association for Psychotherapy (ÖBVP) recommends seeking psychotherapeutic support if:

You experience pain, sleep disturbances, dizziness, heart rhythm irregularities or other physical symptoms, and your doctor cannot identify a physical cause.
For some time, you have been relying on stimulants, sedatives or sleeping pills (psychotropic medications) to function.
Without apparent reason, you experience racing heartbeats and the fear that you might die.
You have anxieties that burden or limit you: e.g. fear of contact with others, of authority figures, of large open spaces, of confined spaces, or of exams.
You are often plagued by thoughts you don't dare share with anyone (feelings of shame and guilt, hatred, inadequacy, the feeling of being persecuted or controlled by others, etc.).

You feel unmotivated and listless, exhausted or constantly overwhelmed.
You frequently feel down and find no joy in life.
You feel sad and isolated.
You are going through a stressful life transition (e.g. severe illness, bereavement, unemployment, divorce, separation, accident, etc.) that is difficult to cope with.
You sometimes have thoughts of suicide and/or your psychological distress feels overwhelming.

You are in a relationship that puts a heavy strain on you.
You feel persistently overwhelmed by your children.
You repeatedly experience significant difficulties in your relationships with others (e.g. at the workplace).
You are struggling with addiction — to alcohol, drugs, food, hunger, love, gambling.
You feel inwardly compelled to repeat the same thoughts or actions (e.g. compulsive washing, locking, ruminating, etc.), even though this severely restricts your life.